Accessing the deeper Levels of the Breath

The third Dharma talk focuses on the ancient idea of Pranayama practice, its use and application in modern day life, and how it can take us much deeper into the subtleties of our breath. Additionally, we want to experience how pranic breathing acts on our body and the mind and prepares us for mindfulness and meditation practice.

During our second Dharma talk we are exploring the different kinds of breathing, the breath cycle and its role as a powerful reference point in mindfulness, meditation, and stilling practice. 

The Scale of Stillness Practice

Our first Dharma talk is all about how to access and utilize our ‘Inner Sense’, starting with the external world of experiences and our five senses, our proprioceptive sense, as well as ‘Interoceptive Awareness’ and its role in the stilling process.

 

Outline of presentation

1. Introduction to "Stillness"
   1. Scale of stillness
   2. Dharma talks as both individual offerings, but when taken as a group cumulate into a natural deeper stillness practice
   3. Goal of Dharma talks: To increase personal resilience, compassion, and presence for practitioners, therapists, and teachers through a practical workshop on stillness
2. Goal of this Dharma talk
   1. Outline the neuroscience that informs the theory and practice of stillness and benefits
   2. Distinction between 5 sense, proprioceptive sense, and interoceptive sense
   3. Practical techniques that create stillness memory in the brain and the body
   4. Opportunity to experience a natural state of presence
3. Physiologic benefits of stillness
4. Psychological benefits of stillness
5. What is "dynamic stillness"?
   1. How effective movement originates from dynamic stillness
6. Exploring our five senses - Experiment/Meditation
7. Exploring Proprioception and Interoception
8. Interoceptive awareness meditation -- Begins at the 30 minute mark
9. Closure